Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a new directive reinstating the use of the term “alien” in all internal and external communications, replacing the term “noncitizen.” This policy shift reverses the previous administration’s guidelines, which had promoted the use of “inclusive” language in immigration discourse.
The memo, signed by ICE Director Caleb Vitello, also reintroduces the term “alienage” in place of “noncitizenship.” This change aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader immigration policies, which emphasize strict enforcement and a return to traditional legal terminology.
Under the Biden administration, terms like “alien” and “illegal alien” were replaced with “noncitizen” and “undocumented noncitizen” to foster more inclusive language. The Department of Homeland Security had instructed agencies to adopt these terms to “ensure agency communications use the preferred terminology and inclusive language.”
The reinstatement of the term “alien” reflects a significant policy shift under the current administration, underscoring a more stringent approach to immigration enforcement and a departure from the previous administration’s emphasis on inclusive language.